meridian_rose: pen on letter background  with text  saying 'writer' (borgias a)
[personal profile] meridian_rose
Title: What Fate Has In Store
Fandom: Da Vinci's Demons, The Borgias
Pairing/Characters: Leonardo da Vinci, Cesare Borgia, Micheletto
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 779
Prompt: For the [community profile] hc_bingo amnesty theme: crossover, prompt: unconciousness
Summary: Leonardo wakes up in the future to find himself working with Cesare Borgia.
Content Notes: No standard warnings apply.
Also @ AO3

Leo stirred.

"Sssh, it's all right."

The voice was soothing but not one he recognised. Leo opened his eyes, blinked. He was not in his workshop, where he'd fallen asleep while working on a new project, but lying in a camp bed in a tent.

The man sitting next to him smiled. Thirtyish, handsome, with long dark curls. "Take your time."

"What?" was the only word Leo's lips could form.

"I did warn you, Leonardo."

"Warn me?" Leo's voice cracked. The man moved to offer him water, helped him sit up and ensured Leo had a grip on the cup before letting go. Leo took a long swallow, thankful for the coolness against his dry throat.

"Too much black powder." The man sighed. "Micheletto and I took cover but you stood there insisting it was fine."

"Micheletto?" At some point Leo was going to stop parroting and ask some questions but his head was spinning and he felt rather bruised.

"He's fine," the man said, misunderstanding the question. "Are you? You've been unconscious for almost an hour. I was concerned."

The man reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from Leo's face in an almost intimate gesture.

"I don't know," Leo said. He took another gulp of water. An explosion – was it possible he'd hit his head and lost his memory? He'd heard of such things. Or maybe this was another time-travel vision.

The tent flap rustled as it moved aside. A lean, red-haired man entered. "My lord. There is a message for you, from Naples."

"I will be there in a moment, Micheletto." The man patted Leo's hand. "I will be back as soon as I can."

The two strangers left. Leo finished his water and swung his legs down to the ground. He had to pause while the room spun but finally dragged himself to his feet and began to explore the tent, looking for clues as to where and possibly when he was, as well as whose tent he was in.

The table in one corner of the room had a wealth of information. Maps, letters, and sketches in Leo's familiar style but which he did not remember drawing.

The letters were all addressed to Cesare Borgia and skimming the contents gave Leo a shock. Cesare was the Captain General of the Church, a position occupied in Leo's memory by Girolamo Riario. But then the dates on the letters made it plain; Leo was in the future or he'd lost a number of years' worth of memories.

What had happened to Riario? To Sixtus? Where was Zo? Nico?

And what was this beautiful thing?

Leo traced his fingertips over the drawing. If this was the future and he went back and drew the device in the past was that some kind of paradox?

"Leonardo." The man – Cesare – strode back into the tent. "Good to see you on your feet."

"Yes," Leo said vaguely.

Cesare stood behind Leo's shoulder. He was taller than Leo and his body was warm as he leaned around to point at the drawing. "Do you think you can make it work?"

His breath tickled Leo's cheek and Leo leant back into him without conscious thought. The tone of the innocent question was alluring and asking Leo to talk about his inventions and ideas was a guaranteed form of seduction.

"I will do my best, my lord," Leo said, hedging his bets.

Cesare gave a soft chuckle. "I know you will."

Leo held his breath but Cesare stepped away, all business. He began talking about politics and military strategy – all the same players, Sforzas and de Medicis and della Roveres amongst others, involved in much the same bickering. The more things changed the more they stayed the same.

There was no mistaking Cesare's ambition though and Leo felt that if anyone could unite all of Italy it would this man with his charisma, intelligence, and determination.

If this was a vision, Leo would make the most of it while it lasted. And if he'd lost his memory then he'd work on getting back and at least he was at the side of one of the most powerful men in Italy, never a bad thing.

"Leonardo?"

He blinked, found Cesare staring at him. Had there been a question he'd missed, lost in his musings? "Sorry. I was daydreaming."

"That is where your ideas come from," Cesare allowed with a ready smile. "Come, see if you can use the device without blowing yourself or anyone else up this time."

Leo, seeing no other option, followed Cesare out of the tent. For the moment he'd play along and see what fate had in store.
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